Paper Planes (Sandejas Siblings: Companion Book)

Kabanata 2

Kabanata 2

PAREHO KAMING KINAKAPOS ng hininga ni Ejercito, napadpad kami sa park na malayo na sa unibersidad at hindi na rin kami naabutan ng mga guard.

I was running out of breath. Kahit si Ejercito ang tumakbo sa aming dalawa ay napagod pa rin ako.

"Hindi tayo naabutan! Akala n'yo, ah!" Jer's husky voice is what I've heard. Napangiti ako roon, marahan niya akong ibinaba sa bench at iniupo ako roon bago dumukwang sa harapan ko.

"Ayos ka lang?" I asked him. He chuckled and nodded. I saw him ran his hand on his already disheveled hair and moistened his lower lip.

"Hmm, yes. I was just too happy we escaped them." Aniya na nangingiti.

Napatawa na rin ako at sumulyap sa paligid, nang makitang naghahabol pa rin siya ng hininga ay nailing na ako.

I noticed a dirt on his cheek, probably the dirt on the floor when we fell. Tila hindi niya iyon alam kaya iniangat ko ang kamay ko.

I slightly touched his cheek, mukhang nagulat siya at nag-angat ng tingin para tignan ako.

"Lena?" he called.

I did not answer, marahan kong iniangat ang baba niya para makita ang pisngi niya at kumurap lang siya sa akin at tiningala ako. I touched his cheek again, softly—to clean the dirt and I noticed how amused he was.

Nangingiti na siya, tila hindi makapaniwala sa ginagawa ko at nang mapansing malisyoso na ang tingin niya ay tinulak ko na ang noo bago sumimangot.

"It's not what you think, Jer." I hissed.

"Ano bang iniisip ko?" he asked playfully.

"Shut it, may dumi ang pisngi mo kaya tinanggal ko lang." I said.

Ngumuso siya, I saw him touching his cheek as he tried hiding his smile and nodded.

"Alright, Harriet..." he chuckled, still, the tone is amused.

"Totoo nga!" my eyes widened and defended myself. "M-may dumi ka! Alangang hindi ko tanggalin?!"

"Wala naman akong sinabi, ah?" his lips lifted playfully.

I stopped, umirap ako sa hangin at tumikhim.

Do I sound too defensive?

I shrugged it off and pretended to do nothing.

"Tara na nga!" I hissed and stood pero biglang namanhid ang paa ko.

I gasped, akala ko'y matutumba ako pero kaagad na nasalo ni Ejercito ang baywang ko.

"Woah!" he exclaimed. "Be careful, Lena." He breathed.

"S-sorry," bulong ko at bahagyang naupo. Inalalayan niya ako, he held my arm softly to sit and his gaze shifted on my knees.

"What..." he trailed off, napalingon din ako sa tuhod ko at nanlaki ang mga mata nang makitang nagdurugo ang kaliwang tuhod ko.

"God!" I exclaimed in shock, suddenly feeling the pain I did not noticed earlier.

"It's my fault," he groaned and stared at my knees. "Damn, Lena, I'm sorry." Nilingon niya ako at nabakas ko ang takot sa mata niya.

"This is when we fell," ngiwi niya at nang bahagyang iunat ang paa ay napaigik ako sa sakit.

"I'm sorry, Lena," he breathed and stared at me.

"Ayos lang." I bit my lip.

"It's not alright," he said frustratedly and groaned. "You scratched your knees! Kung maayos lang sana kitang nabuhat edi sana—"